TEH PUBLIC LEDGER.
WASHINGTON NEWS.
WHAT IS GOING ON AT THh NATIONAL
CAPITAL.
Comments of What is Transpiring in
Consaess and the Various Depart
ments r the Government-Personal
and Otherwise.
CAPT. WILLIAMS1 VIEWS.
The St. Louis Globe-Democrat
correspondent interviewed Hon.
Baldy Williams on the cotton ques
tion who replied as follows :
"We can t afford to make cotton
at the present prices, it is next to
bankruptcy," Archibald H. A. Wil
liams said.
"Lint cotton to-day," he said, "is
only 6c per pound to the planter,
while it costs more than that to raise
it; 8 to 10c would be about a living
price in ray country."
"What, in your judgment is the
remedy for the present condition of
the cotton industry ?"
SILVER MEN" EXCITED.
The silver men are very much
wrought up over the situation, as
they consider that the passage of
such a resolution would bean act of
cowardice on the part of the Dem
ocrats, a large majority of whom are
pledged to support free silver. They
consider themselves especially ag
greived, since it is an admitted fact
that if such a resolution should fail
and a resolution for the passage of a
free coinage bill should carry many
of the Eastern Democrats who are
advocating the anti-silver resolution
would refuse to be bound by action
of the caucus.
The Democratic Alliancemen who
have been acting with the Demo
cratic party say that if the resolution
is passed the gronnd will be swept
from under them and they will be
forced back into the Third party.
Situation is quite complicated and
there is no predicting what the up
shot of the Democratic differences
on the silver question may be.
OPPOSED TO A FREE SILVER BILL.
. The anti-silver men are making a
close canvass of the Democratic
members of the House, led by Mr.
Harter and some of the most extreme
opponents of free coinage, with the
purpose, if possible, of drumming up
a majority in favor of the resolution
which it is designed to" pass declar
ing that the passage of a free silver
bill at the time is inexpendient.
There are a great many Democratic
believers in free coinage who think
it inadvisable in the face of a Presi
dential campaign to pass a free silver
bill, doomed beforehand to go down
under the President's veto, and these
gentlemen will probably support
such a resolution.
The shadow of Grover Cleveland,
who favors the side-tracking of the
silver question, is seen, and the in
fluence of the other Eastern leaders,
who were afraid that free silver
would jeopardise the chances of the
doubtful States in the East, is also
having effect. Speaker Crisp, who
personally favors free coinage, has
said that in this as in other matters
of party policy he would be governed
by the expression of the caucus, and
will, in case such a resolution is
passed, opposed the granting of a
special order for the consideration of
a free silver bill should- it be re
ported from the committee on coin
age, weights and measures.
THIRD PARTY.
t A lively sensation has developed
in the report that the Third Party
movement in the South is being
backed by the Republican national
campaign committee. It is said that
the Republican committee is quietly
at work communicating with prom
inent advocates of the Third Party
in Georgia and other Southern
States, and that Republican emissa
ries are zealously at work in this new
effort to break the Democratic in
tegrity of the South, as they have
been unable to do it by any other
method. The report goes that the
Republican compaign committee has
set aside a liberal contribution from
its campaign fund to be used in
spreading Third Party doctrine in
the South. If this report is true, the
Third party movement in Georgia is
being supplied from the Republican
national campaign fund with the
wherewith with which to do the
work of breaking up the Democratic
party. It is a sharp trick of the' Re
publicans, and there seems to be no
doubt that there is something in it.
A well-known Republican, on be
ing asked concerning the matter
said.
Suppose it is so, though of course
I know nothing aboutjit, would it nc t
be all right ? The Republican party
never has had a fair showing with
the South solidiv Democratic, and
it never will until that condition of
affairs is broken up. We cannot do
it by making a straight tight as be
tween Democracy and Kepublican
ism, but if the apple of discord is
thrown into the Democratic ranks
by the Republican managers it may
have the effect of dividing the Dem
ocrats and giving the Republican
party a surer foot-hold in the South.
It is fair politics, and it seems that
the scheme, if such a scheme is on
foot, is being worked to decided ad
vantage from the reports received
from the South."
Active Republicans are in corres
pondence with the Republican cam
paign committee on the subject, and
in some Southern States it will be
observed that many of the most ac
tive leaders of the new party came
from the ranks of the Republicans.
Whether or not the Alliancemen of
the South are going to be fooled to
any extent by this Republican trick
remains to be seen. But the Alli
ancemen in Congress says that they
will not be, and that the farmers
will remain true and steadfast to the
Democratic party and will work
through it their great mission of
financial reform, which, if not suc
cessful through the Democratic
party, cannot be won at all.
Senator Yance has introduced a
bill in the Senate repealing all laws
discriminating against circulating
notes of State banks. Mr. Hender
son, of the 7th district in this State,
has previously presented a bul m the
House for the same purpose. The
passage of either of these bills would
forever put a quietus on the agitation
of the silver question.
"The only relief for the cotton
planters in the South is to plant less
acres to cotton. If they make 5,000,
000 bales instead of 8,000,000, and
get 10c or 15c for the five, they will
have a change to diversify their
crop and raise their home supplies
and be more independent. The Far
mers' Alliance in some of our cotton
counties have recently resolved to
plant less cotton in the future. I
think that will in a great measure
help the cotton interests."
The House Committee on the
election of President Vice-President,
and Congressmen, by formal vote
has approved the principles that
United States Senators should be
elected by the people of the respec
tive States. The question of the
details of an amendment to the Con
stitution to effect this purpose was
referred to a special meeting. "While
the principle that Senators should be
elected by the people," said Chair
man Chipman, "seems to be very
strong in the House, and a large
number of bills have been introduced
with that view, there is a difference
of opinion as to whether the consti
tutional amendment should leave the
method of electing Senators optional
with the several States, or should
be compulsory on all of them. Which
position will be adopted by the com
mittee we are unable to say but we
believe a bill will be reported em
bodying some plan on the subject.
REMARKS
O II OX. A. II. A. WIL
LIAMS. Before the Committee on his Resolu
tion to EIet President by Direct
Vote of the People.
Mr. Chairmam :
Under our Republican form of
government, where all power is in
vested in the people, the simplest
mode of conducting elections, that
wil! reflect the popular will, should
be adopted. The present system of
electing the President and Vice
President by electors is cumbersome,
complicated and unintelligible to the
average voter. It is an indirect and
circuitous way to reach what should
be attained by a straight and plain
path. There are not, lam sure, in any
county in the United States one
fourth of the voters, who thoroughly
understand the modus operandi by
which our presidential elections are
conducted. There are but few voters
in any county who give the names of
the electors on the ticket they cast,
or who know whether they are vot
ing for their real choice or not. A
large number of voters cast their
ballots blindly, at the behest of some
party manager, on whom they have
to rely to furnish the "right ticket."
They would know themselves which
was the right ticket in their judg
ment if they were permittedHo cast
their vote directly for the candi
dates. In the early days of our country
the electoral 'system, was not open to
the same objections as at the present
time. In those days the electors were
chosen by th States without being
pledged as now to any party candi
dates; and after the election in their
own wisdom selected the President
and Vice-President of the United
States. At this time the candidates
for electors are pledged to vote for
the candidates of their respective par
ties, and when we vote for electors
we know for what presidential can
didate we are voting. This being so,
why not vote for the candidate di
rectly ? If the proposed change is
made, and the people permitted to
vote directly for the candidates for
President and Vice-President, the
doors to abuses and unfairness which
now exist will be closed. In the
State of North Carolina in 1876, one
of the parties had their Presidential
ticket printed at a publishing house
where they were from some cause ex
ecuted in such a way as to make them
worthless. The names of some of
the electors were so changed and ar
ranged, as to destroy the validity of
the tickets. The first name on the
ticket was right, and the tickets on
the top of each package was cor
rect, so that the vitiated tickets, not
being in sight, could not be easily
detected. By mere change, however,
the error was discovered; the mana
ger of the party thus wronged was
informed and all the tickets, which
had been distributed over the State,
were recalled, and a new and correct
lot sent out. Thus by a mere acci
dent a great wrong was prevented.
If the people had been allowed to
vote directly for the candidates, such
wrong could not have been possible,
for any voter, who could read, would
have discovered the error,
In the State of California a few
years ago on one of the Presidential
tickets there was a candidate for
electors, a man who was personally
obnoxious to a considerable number
of voters. The result was his name
was scratched off enough tickets to
defeat him, while the other candi
dates on the same ticket was elec
ted. The choice of the people of
California was clearly shown by the
number of votes cast for the other
electors; yet the one elector lost to
the State of California by this cir
cumstance might have caused the de
feat of her choice for President. Ac
cording to the present law, States
may vote for electors in different
ways. One State may choose elec
tors by the legislature; another by
Congressional districts, and another
by popular vote. This power has
been lodged in the States and cannot
be taken away without a change of
the constitution. Under this power,
what great injustice can be perper
trated, will be seen at a glance. If
all the States could be compelled to
adopt the same system, the unfair
ness and injustice could be to some
extent mitigated.
The State of Michigan has pro
vided for the election of electors by
Congressional districts, and at the
next election, the plan wTill be carried
out. In Iowa, they are elected by the
State-at-large. The probabilities are
that electors of Michigan will be so
divided between the Presidential
candidates that no one will have
advantage of more than two or three
votes; In Iowa one candidate or the
other will receive the 13 votes of
that State. A and B are the Presi
dential candidates. A's elector in
Iowa-jare all elected by 1000 majority,
and the 13 votes of that State are
cast for him. In Michigan, 6 of A's
electors are chosen in Congressional
districts and 8 of B's electors are
chosen and the aggregate majority
of B's 8 electors over A's 6 electors
is one thousand. Thus it will be seen
that while the two candidates receive
the same number of voters A will
have 19 electoral votes, while B will
only have eight. This result, unfair
as it is, is libable to occur at any time
under the present system. The
plan adopted by Michigan is better
calculated to produce a fair and just
result then than the other if univer
sally adopted. Under the plan now
in vogue in other States, it is possible
for a candidate receiving f of the
popular vote to be defeated; the voice
of the people thwarted and their
country governed by a President, who
had been repudiated by an over
whelming majority of his country
men. This great injustice and wrong
liable to befall the people, should
alone be sufficient to change a sys
tem so much at war with the princi
ples of a Republican form of govern
ment. The inequality of citizenship is
destroyed by the present system.
There should be no discrimination
between citizens whose government
is based upon the popular will. There
can be no equality where the vote of
one man in one State, counts as
such as four voters in another State,
Take for example the State of Ne
vada, with say : 15,000 votes
casting three electoral votes, when
Oregon with 60,000 votes casts the
same number. The same inequality
can be shown by comparing the vote
of many other States. The cry that
the autonomy of States is protected
by the present system weighs but
little when the sovereignty of the
States is fully preserved by the con
stitution in the organization of the
Senate branch of Congress.
It is impossible for a citizen to
divide his vote under the present law
when candidates for President and
Vice-President are placed before the
people by parties. If one desires to
vote for the candidates for President
on a ticket and does not wish to vote
for the candidate for Vice-President
on the same ticket he is forced to
vote for both or not vote at all. In
former times, when the electors were
not pledged to any party candidate
the voter was not thus embarrassed.
The object of this bill is to change
the manner of electing these high
officers so as to reach a free and
fair expression of the people and so
that a majority and not a minority
will always control the destines of
the country. The manner of count
ing and returning the vote is imma
terial. The Supreme Courts of the
States have been named for this
important work as they are presumed
to be less partisan and biased than
any other tribunal.
Danger of Confusion.
"This animal, ladies and gent.," said the
bowman, "is the chimpaniee. The re
markable thing a"bout the chimpanzee, la
dies and gents, is that it comes nearest to
bein a human person of any speeshy of the
monkey tribe. This here is the chimpanzee,
ladies and gents," he continued, "the one
Inside the cage. Please stand a little f arder
back, sir! You'll get mixed."
And he glared at a young dude from Jer
sey City who was poking the' animal with
his cane. Chicago Tribune.
SHOES, &c.
WHY IS THE
W. L. DOUCLA!
S3 SHOE CENT ?EW1EH
THE BEST SHOE IN THE WORLD FOR THE MONEY?
It is a seamless shoe, with no tacks or wax thread
to hurt the feet; made of the best fine calf, stylish
and easy, and because we make more shoes of this
grade than any other manvfacturer, it e quals hand
Bewed shoes costing from $4.00 to $5.00.
CC OO Genuine II ami-sewed, the finest calf
shoe ever offered for $5.00; equals French
imported shoes which cost from $3.00 to $12.00.
OO Hand-Sewed Welt Shoe, fine calf,
P" stylish, comfortable and durable. The best
Ghoe ever offered at this price ; same grade as custom-made
shoes costing from $t5.00 to $!.0O.
CfiO 50 Police Shoe; Farmers, Railroad Men
J. and Letter Carriers all wear them; finecalf,
seamless, smooth inside, heavy three soles, exten
sion edge. One pair will wear a year.
20 " fine calf; no better shoe ever offered at
wfc this price; one trial will convince those
who want a shoe for comfort and service.
OO 35 and gi.OO Workinginan's shoe3
are very strong and durable. Those who
have given them a trial will wear no other make.
RaVC' 82.00 and 81.75 school shoes are
0 W V O worn by the boys everywhere; they sell
on their merits, as the increasing sales show.
1 )flifcC5 S3.00 Hand-sewed shoe, best
"CI vl ICO Dongola, very stylish; equalsFrench
imported shoes costing from $4.00 to S6.0J.
m Ladies' 2.50 82.00 and 81 .75 shoe for
Misses are the best fl-ie Dongol a. Stylish aud durable.
Caution. See that W. L. Douglas name and
price are stamped on the bottom of each shoe.
CTTAKE NO SUBSTITUTE.!
Insist on local advertised dealers suimlvlne von
W. L.. DOUGLAS, Brockton, Mass. l&ld by
E.T, RHMLINS
john a. Williams"
DEALER IN-
R8HLESTHTe
OXFORD, n. c.
HAS MANY DWELLINGS, VACANT LOTS
and stores in the town of Oxford for sale
Alio qute a number of farms eligibly located,
ail size and prices. Address
JNO. A, WILLIAMS, Oxford. U, C.
HARDWARE, &e.
Edwards & Winston,
Oxford, N. C.
A EE STILL IN THE STRONG CURRENT
for trade and are now offering at lowest
possible prices the following goods which are
flrtt-classi m
'Hardware.
Stoves, Heating and Cooking1, and all repairs
for same kept on hand. Large stock Axes, tirub
hoes, Picks, Ames' Shovels, Spades, Forks, Po
tato Diggers, Rakes', Trace Chains, Log Chaiae,
Cow Chains, Barb Wire Fencing, &e.
Tinware, Crockery, etc.
Larcre stock Tinware and Lmp Goods. Large
stock Crockery from a 5 cent Glass to $60 China
Set.
Guns and Pistols.
New lot Pistols, Breech Loading Guns and
Muzzle Loaders at astonishingly low prices. Big
stock loaded and empty shells and wads; in fact,
sporting goods of all kinds.
Builders' Material.
Sash, Doors, Blinds, Lime, Plaster, Cement,
Terra Cotta Piping Paints Oils. Glass, &c.
Buggies and Wagons.
Just received new stock Wagons, one and twe -horse.
"We warrant these wagons to give satis
faction and the prices are right. Nice stock e f
Buggies and Carts which must be sold at once a
we have too large stock. Buggy and Wagoa
Material.
Farming Implements.
Dixie Plows and Castings, Boss Plows and
Castings, Farmers Friend Plows and Castings,
Smith's Cutters, and in fact everything in tke
way of farming implements.
Housekeepers' Goods.
Sewing Machines, Rogers Knives and Forks
Carving Sets, &c. Choice line of goods suitael
for bridal presents.
Belting.
Largest Stock of Rubber and Leather Belting
in the county; in fact, everything in the Hard
ware line. Pumps of all kinds.
Agents for Dupont's Sporting and Blasting
Powder.
Just received car load best 150 to lfiO test Rer
and white Oil, and can supply merchants at low
est wholesale prices.
Gun and Locksmithing, Guttering and RoofliHg
COLLEGE STREET
Ferrjale Seminary,
OXFORD, N. C.
THE EXERCISE OF THIS SCHOOL WILL
be resumed on the 2nd Monday in Januarv,
1892, in new and commodious bui dings, with a
full corps of efficient and experienced instructor!
in every branch. Miss Sue Hall so well known
as a skilful teacher oi Art, will give lessons in
the forenoon of every day. Good and pleasant
accommodations are provided for both boarding
and day pupils. The pa ronage of all parents,
desiring to give their daughters the advantage
of careful aud through training, is solicited.
For particulars as to terms, cours of study, Stc,
address REV. TlioS. U. FAUCETTS,
jan.S-lm. Oxford, N. C.
PROFESSIONAL CARDS.
A. HICKS,
A,
Attorney at Law and Notary Public
OXFORD, N. C, and
r T. SICKS,
JLttorriey-a,t-La,w,
HENDERSON, N. C.
Will practice together in the Courts of GranviiJe
Vance, Franklin, and Warren Counties, and in all
matters requiring their joint attention.
We hope by prompt, diligent, and faithful attea
tion to business to deserve and receive a portio
of the law business of this setion-
g II. CAXXADY, M. I.,
OXFORD, N. C,
Offers his professional services to the people of
Oxford ard surrounding country.
Office over Hall's drug store.
Residence at R. I. Devin's.
J. E. WYCHE
DENTAL SURGEON,
OXFORD, N. C.
Pure Nitrous Oxide Gas administered for the
painless extraction of teeth.
Rooms in Hbrndon Bank Btjilsins.
J M. HAYS, M. I.,
OXFORD, N. C,
Offers to the Public his Services as Prac
titioner of Medicine in All of it
Branches.
"Office in Herndon Block, No. t. QO.cc
hours from 9 until 10 a. m.
gTRAYHORN A WABLICK,
Attorneys-at-Law,
Will practice in the courts of GraHville, Per
son and Caswell county. Office at Col. Haiaigwi
Old law ofice. fan.15.
Httl